Following IDF strike in Gaza Strip and West Bank, which killed 23 Palestinians, Palestinian government spokesman says, 'Israel is not a country of humans, but of animals.' Palestinian government convenes for emergency meeting. Haniyeh: Security Council should hold emergency meeting

Ali Waked |Published: 11.08.06 , 08:27

Palestinian Government Spokesman Dr. Ghazi Hamad said that Israel
must be wiped off the face of the earth.

The remarks made by Hamad, who is considered a moderate element among the Hamas leadership, came in response to the Israel Defense Forces strike on Wednesday morning, which killed at least 18 Palestinians on Wednesday morning as a large number of IDF tank shells hit a house in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun.

At least 18 Palestinians killed, 30 wounded as shell barrage fired by IDF hits building in northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun; four of casualties are members of one family, including child and elderly woman. IDF looking into incidents, says 'terror organizations use all means and launch rockets at Israel, also from populated areas.' Earlier, five Palestinians, including three gunmen, killed in incident in village of Yamoun, near Jenin

"We shall avenge the death of the Beit Hanoun casualties," the organization said in a statement.

The Islamic Jihad members also claimed that the group fired two missiles at an IDF post near the Sufa crossing.

'Killing is an Israeli policy'

Palestinian Health Minister Bassem Naim also referred to the series of incident, saying that killing constitutes a policy and a target for the Israelis.

"I have no words to describe the ugly Israeli massacre in Beit Hanoun this morning.

According to Naim, "This massacre is added to another massacre which the town has only just emerged from. This morning's operation only proves that killing is Israel's target, and this is proven by the massive fire at the medical teams arriving at the area."

Naim added that another proof was the inclusion into the government of Avigdor Lieberman, who calls day and night to kill Palestinians.

Hundreds of Palestinians began marching in the northern Gaza Strip, in protest of the IDF's operation in Beit Hanoun. The protestors chanted slogans against Israel and demanded to fire more rockets at Israel and carry out suicide bombings.